The world of flavour is a whimsical one. Here are my 3 favourite flavour phenomena and 7 dishes to help you cook them and try them out.
The Kapow Effect
What is it? That moment when you eat something that’s lovely and spicy and your brain can’t hack it.
The Science Behind it: The capsaicin in chillies binds to a receptor on your tongue, which tricks your brain into believing that your tongue truly is on fire… OUCH!
These three recipes will give you that lovely little kapowww effect and they only take 30 minutes each to cook!
Tiger Prawn Spaghettiwith Chilli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
The Kapoowww element: Green Chilli
If this dish were a place, it would be a sunny little fishing village somewhere on the coast of Sardinia. If it were a time, it would be an al fresco lunch, on a sun-dappled terrace, with a cold bottle of rosé. For this recipe we combined simple, light, fresh flavours to create a nostalgia-inducing meal that will leave you plenty of time to get online and book your next holiday. Daydreams included as standard.
Thai ‘Moo Pad Krapow’
The Kapowww Element:Red Chilli
In a former life (well, about 10 years ago) our Head Chef used to be a lawyer. When his firm asked him where he’d like to go on secondment, they were probably expecting him to choose Berlin or possibly Munich. His answer? Thailand. Living there for three months he used to eat in the food halls with all the locals every lunchtime and this became his go-to dish. Stick a fried egg on for extra authenticity!
Lamb and Chickpea Curry
The Kapowww Element:Sri Lankan Curry Powder
You will love this mouthwatering curry as it is really easy and quick to prepare! This curry is spiced with Sri Lankan curry powder and flavoured with ginger, garlic, coriander, mustard seeds and star anise! These herbs and spices are the stars of the dish and make, what is a really simple meal, fresh and delicious. You will favour it every time over your local takeaway!
The ButterFlutter
What is the ButterFlutter: A love of creamy, buttery things like mash potatoes, shortbread and garlic bread.
The Science Behind it: Butters and fats intensify the taste of other foods because they dissolve and concentrate flavour and odour chemicals more effectively on your tongue.
Seasonal Broad Bean Risottowith Balsamic Glazed Cherry Tomatoes
ButterFlutter Element: Parmesan cheese
Anyone say broad beans? Charlotte, our veggie buyer, loves these green British beauties, so begged us to squirrel them into one of the dishes this week. Our chef, Victoria, accepted the challenge and voilà, a delicious cheesy broad bean risotto. We’re sending you whole broad beans in their jackets (pods) so that they have a little extra safety padding for their journey to your kitchen this evening – happy podding!
Pan-Fried Chickenwith New Potatoes and Tarragon Sauce
The ButterFlutter Element:Crème Fraîche
Every week we painstakingly go through the results of your recipe feedback to make sure we’re on track to make tastier meals. Every once in awhile we see a sharp spike in the scores and until recently we couldn’t put our finger on the reason. Then we realised: tarragon. It seems this little wonder herb perks up dinner time no end. Expect to see more on the menu soon!
The Aroma-Tickle
What is it? When the smell of the food is part of what influences how it tastes.
The Science behind it: When you eat, your nose is key. Food molecules reach your throat and then our olfactory nerve endings in your nose sending olfactory signals to your brain just like your tongue does.
Moroccan Spiced Cod Parcelwith Fragrant Couscous and Orange Dressing
The Aroma-tickle Element: Orange
It’s no secret that our chef Vix prides herself on her Moroccan inspired recipes. Chef André thought he would give her a bit of a run for her money and team a sweet and delicately flavoured Moroccan couscous with spicy cod. Even Vix thinks this one is a winner!
Steak Tagliatawith Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Peppercorn Sauce
The Aromatickle Element: Rosemary
If we had a penny for every time we saw a badly cooked steak we’d probably be millionaires. There are certain cardinal tips you have to follow for a perfect result: 1) Allow your steak to come up to room temperature before you cook it. 2) Get your frying pan super hot before your steak goes in. 3) Make sure you rest your steak on a warm plate for a few mins after cooking before you cut into it. Right, now you’re ready!
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